A company called Swiss-Mile has created an innovative robot that combines legs and wheels to create, what they hope, will be the most versatile last-mile delivery robot on the planet. A spin-off of ETH Zurich’s Robotic Systems Lab, the robot can even transform from a quadruped, well quad-wheel, to bipedal form in a matter of seconds.
Capable of reaching speeds of 13.87 mph, this diminutive little robot has been developed over the last five years to be incredibly versatile and efficient. It can carry a variety of payloads including tools, materials, goods, and sensors, up to a maximum capacity of 110 pounds.
Robotic delivery robots, like Swiss-Mile’s, will likely become even more important in the future as a means of reducing traffic, improving delivery times, and improving air quality in many urban centers around the world.
According to Swiss-Mile, their robot “with both legs and wheels, [outperforms] state-of-the-art wheeled delivery platforms as well as lightweight delivery drones. It is the only solution capable of carrying tools, materials, goods, and sensors over long distances with energy efficiency and speed while overcoming challenging obstacles like steps and stairs and enabling seamless navigation in indoor and outdoor urban environments.”
